Yahoo site rejection, unique content query?

Editor suggested content wasn't unique??

[gone phishin2001]

Hello,

I've submitted approximately 100 Paid Yahoo Submissions over the last 4-5 months. I got my first rejection this week. The reasons the Editor gave were as follows:

- The content is the same, it may appear in Yahoo! under a different URL
- They reviewed both the sites and the category(ies) it is already in.
- They determined that it is currently placed appropriately

The site they refer to does not have the same content. It has some similar topic-areas, but so do every other site in that Category. Has anyone else come across this same situation? Does any one think that with the Overture being incorporated into the listings and the changes to page relevancy rankings, are the Editors more critical of the Submissions?

Should I request an appeal and point out some of the Unique aspects of the site that are not mentioned on other sites in that Category?

Thank you.

Jason

[Liane]

I had my site rejected before Yahoo began charging for submissions for the same reason. I appealed but my appeal went unanswered.

Oddly enough, when I submitted it AFTER they started charging ... it suddenly became the #1 site for my second most important key word!

I honestly believe it is entirely arbitrary and the editors do not delve deeply enough into the content of a site to determine if it has same or similar content or not.

The one site I had in Yahoo was selling crewed yacht vacations. The new site was selling bareboat (no crew) vacations. Totally different animal and a completely different customer ... but the editor in his/her wisdom decided the two sites were virtually identical. Hogwash!!! They were nothing alike in the least except they were both about boats. That's where the similarities began and ended.

All I can say is good luck. Perhaps a good Overture bid will overcome the problem!

[2_much]

Hi gone_phishin2001, welcome to WMW!

"Should I request an appeal and point out some of the Unique aspects of the site that are not mentioned on other sites in that Category? "

This is exactly what I'd suggest...what i usually do in this case is go to other sites in teh cat and identify what i have as unique..sometimes i'll even add content to make the site noticeably unique...

Be sure to phrase the appeal in a tone that isn't antagonistic and that suggests that listing your site will benefit Yahoo's users.

Good luck!

[SmallTime]

I just had the same rejection response, wrote a detailed and polite appeal, and was accepted.

[daveman]

I had exactly the same experience. Yahoo initially rejected my site because they said the content was not unique. This rejection was my second, when supposedly their is no right of appeal. I was very persistent and wrote a detailed letter outlining the uniqueness of the new offering and cited examples of other companies within the directory that had several sites that offered different products but used similar terminology to describe them. They accepted my appeal and my site is now in the directory. I would be happy to share the letter I wrote to Yahoo in case there are any nuggets that can be used.

[gone phishin2001]

Thanks everyone. I had a feeling many of you probably went through the same situation with Yahoo before. I will go for the appeal and highlight the uniqueness of the site.

Thanks again.

Jason

[tedster]

With the financial and workforce crunch at Yahoo these days, I wouldn't be surprised if their editors were feeling harried, and pushing through their work with less of a discriminating eye.

More than ever, politeness and persistence may be necessary tools for making yourself heard.